I’m making plans to head back home this evening after spending a couple days hunting wild hogs and deer on a 4,500 acre piece of outdoor paradise situated along a 4 mile stretch of the Brazos River. No big bucks or ‘good eating’ wild hogs were harvested so far on this outing, nor is there the normal campfire banter with friends. Circumstanced dictate that I hunt alone this time and, the experience is one I highly recommend, at least occasionally, for everyone that loves spending time in the outdoors. There’s something very satisfying about being self sufficient in an environment that has the very real potential to be unforgiving.

About this time each year, many of us that enjoy spending time on the water fishing or in the field or woods hunting decide we need to make a few changes in the way we operate. Looking back over the past 12 months, I can find many areas in my outdoor activities that would bode well with a little ‘tweaking’. There are many little things that can be done to increase the ‘fun’ aspect of an outdoors experience and lessen the work; after all, hunting and fishing does require a good amount of spent energy. Sportsmen detest calling this ‘work’ but when one is in his or her upper fifties, as is yours truly, it’s time to take stock and hunt and fish a bit smarter than in those early days when there was a bit more energy to expend.

This morning, I was sharing the blind with a great wingshot who I had watched on many previous hunts make some astounding shots.  Between the two of us, we strapped a total of 4 ducks today. Granted, we both missed a couple of shots that should have been made, but that always seems to be the case. The morning was foggy with just enough wind to keep the decoys moving, pretty close to perfect conditions for duck hunting. They were plenty of birds in the air, especially within the first hour of shooting time.

Christmas is just around the corner and it’s time to give some thought to gifts for the hunters or fishermen on your Christmas Shopping list. If you’ve taken a look at a catalog from one of the major retail stores catering to outdoor types, you won’t have any problem finding ‘a’ gift. Let’s spend a little time and decide what might be ‘the’ perfect gift.